Water sking apparatus



May 4, 1965 B. R. PERKUT WATER SKIING APPARATUS Filed April 10, 1965 BY @MM/ United States Patent 3,181,493 WATER SKiING AFPAILQTUS Branko R. Pei-hut, Grease Alice 9, Hamburg 1, Germany Filed Apr. 10, 1953. Ser. No. 272,123 2 (Iiaims. (ill. 115-6.!)

The invention relates to a water skiing apparatus and more precisely to an unmanned towboat of the type suitable for towing for the purpose of water-skiing having an engine arranged approximately in the middle of the boat and a stiff connecting element pivotally attached about a horizontal axis on the stern of the boat, which also serves to steer the boat.

In known towboats of this kind the propeller is arranged in the region of the boats stern and accordingly lies substantially in one plane with the pivotal attachment point of the connecting element to the person to be towed. This arrangement of the propeller has been found to require improvements in many respects.

Firstly, difiicultics have arisen in the steering of a boat with this known propeller arrangement. It should be pointed out that the steering of such towboats is effected by the co-operation between the positions of the skis on the feet of the person to be towed with the forces to be transmitted from his person to the boat through the connecting element. These forces transmitted to the boat ultimately cause the yawing of the boat about a vertical axis. It has been found that these steering maneuvers can be carried out the easier the more forward or nearer to the centre of gravity of the boat the propeller is arranged. The resistances opposing the yawing movements of the boat are apparently reduced to a great extent owing to a more favourable position of the yawing axis.

Further difiiculties occurred with towboats constructed in the conventional way in that when starting the towing operation the towboat raises its bow high out of the water and thus the beginning of a normal towing effect is not established at all. This diificulty can be counteracted by arranging the propeller according to the invention substantially in the middle of the boat below the centre of gravity thereof.

As a solution of this problem the towboat of the conventional type is accordingly improved in that in operation the propeller is arranged substantially below the centre of the boat and that its axis is positioned horizontally, that means the entire drive is designed together with the propeller in the manner of an outboard motor. Thus, in steering as well as upon starting the towing operation, the disadvantages occurring with known towboats of this kind are overcome.

The invention furthermore deals with the problem of improving the transportation of water ski towboats.

In accordance with the invention, the transportation problem is solved in that the drive is pivotally supported within the hull of the boat about a horizontal axis lying transversely of the longitudinal center plane of the boat by means of a bearing connected with the motor housing, so that the drive shaft may be pivoted inside the boat for transport. Also, between the motor proper and the propeller there is arranged a plate approximately in parallel with the shaft of the propeller in such a manner that it sealingly closes the opening in the bottom of the boat through which the propeller portion extends when the drive is positioned for operation.

In this manner, the motor may be completely pivoted into the interior of the boat to transport it without sub stantially increasing the cross sectional contour of the boat in a vertical direction. The space of the boats hull receiving the motor is in addition completely maintained by the plate when the boat is running so that the dimensions of the boat need not be increased with a view to its planing and gliding properties which again has a favourable reciprocal effect on the capability of the boat to be transported.

In this connection, it may under certain circumstances be recommendable to arrange the outboard motor in a separate compartment of the boat.

The arrangement of outboard motors approximately in the center of unmanned tow boats is known. But the known boats of this type are not designed as catamaran boats or with a hull opening for the outboard motor so that with equal displacement and equal gliding properties, the dimensions of the boats must be increased which again has an unfavourable eifect on the capability of transport thereof. With other unmanned tow boats the motor arranged about in the center thereof is again rigidly builtin in the body of the boat so that several operations are necessary to remove it prior to land transport of the boat. In these two last-mentioned boats, there is furthermore no rigid connecting element between the water skier and the tow boat but a cable and the boat is not steered by twisting said rigid connecting element but by quite difierent means.

According to a further feature of the present invention the connecting element comprises two longitudinal bars, one end of each being pivotally attached at the stern of the boat adjacent one of the side walls of the boat, the other ends being connected with one another by a grip bar. This feature further contributes materially to facilitating the steering of the boat, and offers greater security. The direct connection between the grip bar and the two side edges of the boats stern reduces the efforts required for the yawing movement of the boat, and the stresses in the connecting element are materially lower, so that any breakage is impossible.

The engine is arranged advantageously in a chamber of the boat sealed, during operation, against the water, and pivotally mounted in such a way that the drive unit comprising the engine and the propeller may be swung into this chamber.

According to a further feature of the invention one of the longitudinal bars of the connecting element serves for accommodating the starter cable, and the other one for accommodating the connecting link to the accelerator of the engine. As a connecting link to the accelerator of the engine a Bowden cable is preferably provided. If both components, namely the Bowden cable and the starter cable were housed in one and the same bar, there existed the danger that the insulation of the latter cable might be worn out in the course of time by the operation of the Bowden cable.

By using both longitudinal bars of the connecting element "for accommodating these two components, the protection required is given. According to yet another feature of the invention the connecting element is provided in the region of the grip bar with a float body and an impact cushion. The float body has the effect that the connecting element returns to the surface immediately after being sub-merged in the water and thus can be gripped by the user, while the cushion protects the user from any impact.

Further advantages and features of the invention result from the following description with reference to the accompanying drawing, in which:

FIG. 1 is a side elevation of the towing boat according to the invention,

FIG. 2, is a plan view of said boat,

FIG. 3 is a section on the line IIIIII of FIG. 1.

In FIG. 1 the boat 2 is shown in motion, towing the user 6 through the connecting element 4 and being steered by the same. The boat 2 has a central chamber 8, wherein the engine 10 is mounted pivot-ally, about an axle 12. On the engine there i provided a handgrip 14 by means of which the engine may be readily swung out of the rest the chamber 8.

or transportation position indicated in dotted lines into the operative position shown in full lines and vice versa. In the rest position the drive unit comprising the engine and the propeller 11 is completely within the chamber 8.

On. top. the chamber 8 is closed by a removable lid 16, which lid 16 is provided with apertures for the ventilation of the engine. The lid 16 is mounted on the boat 2 pivotally about the axle 18, and ha a handgrip- 2%). On the engine 10 a bottom plate; 21 is attached which is swung together with it intothe operative and rest position, respectively. The bottom plate 21 seals in the operative position the chamber 8 tightly against the external water space. After the engine 10 is swung into the operative position, this plate is tightened by means of some clamping screws 23, so that the chamber 8 is sealed. When putting the engine out of operation, after loosening the clamping screws 23 the bottom plate 21 is swung upward, whereby the chamber 8 is now open in the downward direction. 7

After closing the chamber 8 by tightening the bottom plate 21 for starting operation, any water still contained in the chamber 8 is pumped out thereby that a partial vacuum generated by the engine, or the current flowing around the boat sucks this chamber empty after a drainvalve is opened depending on the running of the engine.

At the stern of the boat 2, the connecting element 4 is pivotally attached about a horizontal axle 22. As apparent from FIG. 2, the connecting element 4 consist of two longitudinal bars 24, each of which is attached 'at one end to an eye bracket 26 on the boat 2, while carrying on their other ends the grip bar 28 connecting the same with one another. In the region of the boats'stern the twobars 24 are connected with one another by a transverse stiffener 30. The grip bar 28 is provided with two grip sleeve 32. The construction of the connecting element 4 in the form of a frame and the pivotal attachment make it possible, provided the lid 16 is shaped correspondingly, to plac the connecting element in the rest position fiat on the boat, as indicated-in FIGS. 1 and 2 in dotted lines.

'The grip bar 28 is provided with an ignition lever, a starter and an accelerator which is preferably constructed as a rotatable grip sleeve. The starter cable 34 and the actuating member for the accelerator, preferably a Bowden cable, are separate from one another, each being in one ofthe twob'ars 24, so that the insulation of the starter cable cannot be worn out by the movements of the Bowden cable.

In the region of the grip bar, the connecting element 4 is moreover provided with a float body 36 and an impact cushion 38. The cushion 38 protects the user from any impact, while the float body, which may for example consist ofa suitable closed cell foam or other suitable material prevents the connecting element from being submerged in the water for a prolonged period.

The vmanner of using the boat will be'readily understood from the foregoing description. First the engine 10 isswung round in such a manner that its portion carrying the propeller 11 protrudes downwardly from the boat 2, whereafter the bottom plate 21 is tightened in order to seal Then the connecting element 4 is swung over into the operative position and by actuating the starter lever the user will set the towing operation in motion. The thrust force acting substantially in the middle of the 'boat and below the same prevents advantageously" 7 same time the steering is greatly facilitated.

What I claim is:

1. Water skiing apparatus comprising, in combination, a watercraft having fore and aft portions and a hull bottom, an opening defined in said hull bottom substantially centrally located intermediate said fore and-aft portions, a motor mounted within said watercraft having a drive shaft extending therefrom, means supporting said motor adjacent said opening for selective positioning of said drive shaft from a storage position within said watercraft to an operative position substantially central to said fore and aft portions and extending through said opening, a hull plate attached to said motor and adapted to seal upon positioning said drive shaft to the operativeposition,

releasable securing means securing said hull platelwithin said opening, and water skier towing means attached to said watercraft aft portion for selective positioning between an operative position trailing said watercraft and a transportation position superimposed over said watercraft and substantially parallel to said hull bottom.

2. An unmanned towing boat for water skiing comprising, in combination, a watercraft hull having fore and aft portions defining a longitudinal axis, an upper portion and a hull bottom, said hull bot-tom having closed bow and stern portions extending the width of the hull bottom and central side portions, an opening defined in said hull bottom substantially centrally located intermediate aid bow and stern portions and intermediate said central side portions, a deck defined on said hull upper portion, a deck opening defined in said deck in substantially opposed relation to said hull bottom opening providing access to said motor, a removable cover adapted to enclose said deck opening, a motor of the outboard type within said hull having a drive shaft extending therefrom, pivot means adjacent said opening supporting said motor for selective pivotal movement within said hull about a horizontal axis transversely disposed to said longitudinal axis between a storage position wherein said motor and drive shaft are located within the confines of said hull as defined by said hull bottom, wdeck and cover and an operative position wherein said drive shaft extends through said hull'opening, a hull plate affixed to said motor adapted to enclose said opening upon pivoting said motor to said operative position whereby said hull plat-e becomes a portion of said hull bottom, releasable securing means securing' 'aid plate within said opening, a rigid pulling linkage pivotally attached tosaid hull aft portion, the pivot axis of the piv-' otal attachment of 'said pulling linkage being transversely related to said hull longitudinal axis and substantially horizontally disposed whereby a water skier grasping saidpulling linkage may directly steer the watercraft.

References Cited by the Examiner" UNTTED' STATES PATENTS 1,874,988 8/32 Harvey 115-41 X 2,593,806 4/53 Steele 115 X 2,776,443 1/57 Howard, 6.1

2,914,018 11/59 Schachner et'al. 115-6;1

2,972,326 2/61 Simpson 115-61 FOREIGN PATENTS 1,258,832 3/61 France.

5 A V V FERGU-S S. MIDDLETON, Primary Examiner 

1. WATER SKIING APPARATUS COMPRISING, IN COMBINATION, A WATERCRAFT HAVING FORE AND AFT PORTINS AND A HULL BOTTOM, AN OPENING DEFINED IN SAID HULL BOTTOM SUBSTANTIALLY CENTRALLY LOCATED INTERMEDIATE SAID FORE AND AFT PORTIONS, A MOTOR MOUNTED WITHIN SAID WATERCRAFT HAVING A DRIVE SHAFT EXTENDING THEREFROM, MEANS SUPPORTING SAID MOTOR ADJACENT SAID OPENING FOR SELECTIVE POSITIONING OF SAID DRIVE SHAFT FROM A STORAGE POSITION WITHIN SAID WATERCRAFT TO AN OPERATIVE POSITION SUBSTANTIALLY CENTRAL TO SAID FORE AND AFT PORTIONS AND EXTENDING THROUGH SAID OPENING, 